tammy stone writes: words, images and work dedicated to making a happy space for you and me.

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Tag Archives: Japan

At first glance,
coming into the space,
there is bright light
casting darkness within.
The luminescence overpowers.
It is alluring, mysterious, it blinds.
We can stay here for a moment,
either terrified of the shadows
or subsumed by a desire
to merge with the light.
But everything changes,
And here is the invitation:
to sit,
(there is a seat waiting for you)
and look through the fiery frame,
to watch the parts slowly appear,
to witness life unfold.
To gaze outward,
with the clear and deep memory
of how this light first penetrated you,
to feel this illuminated self
and the outer spaces as one,
to feel the power and grace
of bringing self to world,
to do what’s needed,
to make things right,
to honour the shadows
and to find the light.

Petals fall lush to ground,
not yet dried or decayed,
unsullied by wind, sun, rain,
handfuls of spring snow
tethered still to this life,
where we train our eyes
on what comes before
the last, the spectre of this
dancing alongside our joy.
Beauty gathers everywhere
before we have a chance
to discriminate and fear,
pierces though every want
we might begin to have
for things to be different.
Imbibe before pleasure
divides into pain.
It is here in this space
that miracles are born,
that the ways of seeing,
ways of our sacred being,
outnumber anything
we could possibly know.

For a few days,
the cherry blossom trees
come alive in bloom,
decorating the world like snow,
as if in joyous collaboration
with the winter just passed,
as if to remind us of the continuity
embedded in all this change.
For a few days,
the senses are heightened,
the sky has opened
to give space for all that grows,
and the moon grows large and quiet,
illuminating the beauty
that wants to be seen,
touched, most of all, felt.
For a few days,
the gates to our perception fly open,
maybe slowly, if we are afraid,
and we can start with one blossom,
her fragile pink petals
delicately announcing herself,
giving everything she has
before falling to soft sweet earth.